Tension continues along Assam-galand border

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

ZIRA, Oct 24: There is no end to tension on the Assam-galand border with many areas, especially those on the Assam side as miscreants from galand continued to encroach upon the land at Geleki in Sivasagar district. Even though the border peace coordition committee (Assam-galand), formed in 2005, has been working tirelessly to restore ties between the people of the two states, the situation has not been improved so far.

Sources said a group of ga miscreants on Friday forcefully set up two cemeteries in the land of Assam at Lahdoigarh in Sivasagar district.  

On the other hand, ga villagers residing along the galand-Assam border have held the small tea growers from Assam responsible for the mounting tension in the border areas.

“Small tea growers from Assam are destroying our jhum cultivation land in the border areas and are clearing jungles in reserve forests for tea cultivation. These small tea growers are responsible for the tension in the border areas,” said an office-bearer of a ga organization.

He alleged that immigrant Bangladeshis and Nepalis living in Bongaon village, Assam, were clearing jungles on the galand side of the border and selling the land to small tea growers from Assam.

He said villagers from galand have been abiding by the Supreme Court guidelines of not carrying out any cultivation or construction activities in the disputed areas along the border but the illegal settlers have continuously encroached the area.

The leader also alleged that the Assam police were helping these illegal settlers and clearing forest areas to make way for small tea growers, which has resulted in shrinking of land for jhum cultivation.

While an office-bearer of the all Assam small tea growers’ association, said the plantations have come up on land belonging to Assam.